The Findlay City Schools’ annual “All-City Orchestra Festival” showcases beginners through advanced string players in the Findlay City Schools. The concert will be held Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the gymnasium of Findlay High School.
“We are the only school district in Hancock County with a string program,” said Ken Pressel, orchestra department chair. “String instruments are among the most difficult instruments to master and students must be disciplined and work hard. Our orchestra program truly provides a wonderful musical opportunity to our students that many students don’t have.”
The concert will feature 274 students, including 98 beginners, 40 string players in the fifth grade string orchestra, 57 students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade string orchestra and 79 students in the Findlay High School symphony orchestra.
The beginners, who started learning their instruments in September, will showcase their new skills by playing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” “Lightly Rock,” and “French Folk Song.” Christine Klosterman will direct the beginning string orchestra.
The fifth grade orchestra, under the direction of Anita Schaible, will perform three selections, as will the sixth, seventh and eighth grade orchestra, under the direction of Pressel.
The concert will conclude with the Findlay High School Symphony Orchestra performing “The Three B’s,” an arrangement which features music by Bach, Brahms and Beethoven, “Smooth” by Carlos Santana, featuring two guitar players from the orchestra, and “What’s Up At The Symphony,” a medley of cartoon classics arranged by Jerry Brubaker. The orchestra is under the direction of Pressel with assistant director Schaible.
“What makes this concert special is that the audience can see the development of skill level from grade four through high school,” said Pressel. “Each group plays increasingly more difficult music and demonstrates better mastery of their instruments. The beginners also love to hear the high school group and they get excited to realize that in just a few short years, if they continue to work hard, they will be sitting in those seats and be able to play at that level.”
The concert is free to attend.